Parietal Pseudofracture and Spontaneous Intracranial Hemorrhage Suggesting Nonaccidental Trauma: Report of 2 Cases

Abstract

Massive intracranial hemorrhage, no history of trauma and radiographic findings that were initially interpreted as linear parietal fractures raised the possibility of nonaccidental trauma in 2 infants. Both had severe coagulopathy, 1 due to hemorrhagic disease of the newborn (vitamin K deficiency) and the other due to disseminated herpes simplex virus infection. Both infants died. At autopsy, the parietal bone abnormalities were not fractures, but proved to be an anomalous suture in 1 and a connective tissue fissure in the other.